Beyond The Dying Light
by TheBitterSweet
Summary: (Competely AU. Set in a rather dark fantasy, Medieval-ish world.) She once heard that hope was like a candle lightening even the darkest of places. Now it was all she had left and the flame was starting to burn, leaving scars on her hands.


**Hi :)**

**A few warnings before you start reading, just to be fair. **

**1) This is my first attempt at writing anything and I'm not a native speaker so mistakes are to be expected (feel free to point them out ^^). **

**2) The story will involve very few Glee characters besides Quinn and Rachel, and even then their names will be changed since they don't exactly fit the fantasy world (again with the exeption of the two girls). But worry not - you will definitely recognise them.**

**3) I intent to create a more or less complex world so please be patient with me and the waiting for Q/R :)**

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A pair of hazel eyes was closely observing the streets of Rothspark as the sun has almost set behind the horizon. Some people had already hid in their homes, the rest was preoccupied by their daily activities. Mothers were calling for children, merchants cleaning their stands and the wealthiest lords were headed to the castle. At night it was the safest place in the whole city but could be offered to only few by king Gareth. Natural selection emerged lucky families and of course, the amount of gold in their pockets was a sheer coincidence.

A slightly obese tradesman was picking the rest of a stale bread from his stall when about six-year-old, dark-haired girl ran to him. She was barefooted and the piece of clothing she was wearing looked more like a sack for corn than a dress. She looked at the man with her black eyes and rested her chin on the wooden table.

"Mister merchant Robert! Can I have a piece of bread? A tiny one. My mom was picking up flowers in The Garden to put a bouquet on the table. For my daddy! He's coming back tomorrow from hunting in the woods. I'm sure he'll bring us a lot of tasty meat!"

Amusement appeared in Robert's eyes. He knew very well that the girl lived in The Channels under the city and all you can find there is reek and the poor looking for a bit of safety. Even if a table miraculously appeared there it would be immediately sold in exchange for some food. The Garden was surrounded by a low wall and protected by tens of guards. In springtime only particularly trained gardeners were let in and even those were personally designated by the king. The hunting was a different story though. Sending the poor was the cheapest way to get the commodity. Men who volunteered were given a spear and let out of the city. Most of them never came back but if they managed to survive and catch an animal or at least pick up some fruits, they were allowed to keep a small part of it.

"Ingen, if your father is coming back tomorrow with food why are you begging for bread?"

The girl looked crestfallen for a moment but then started speaking as if it was a prayer learned by heart.

"Because my mom was picking up jasmine and a poisongrub bit her! Now she has a fever and miss Petra - the witch doctor says she has to eat something quickly or she'll die." Ingen's eyes glazed with tears.

"Poisongrub?!" Robert laughed out loud. "Dear Metus! What on the earth is that?"

Ingen straightened up and started to fidget with her dusty hands. "It's… It's a bug. There's many of them in The Garden. I've seen them myself! They're green and it's really hard to notice them in the grass. The have funny eyes and they look friendly but the truth is that they're more dangerous than noctems!"

At the sound of that name a few people who stood nearby moved nervously and reflexively looked up in the sky. It wouldn't get dark in less than 30 minutes. They were safe.

"When they bite you, you start getting hot and turning green… and you have to eat something quickly. That's what miss Petra says and she's a witch doctor!" The girl continued with a smile on her face, clearly proud of herself.

"Ingen, Ingen. If the times were different you could earn a fortune on telling stories. Now, take this loaf and run along before it gets dark."

During their talk a boy not much older than Ingen with hair and eyes just as dark as hers sneaked under the table and stole two apples and a pear. Fruits came from the cellar stocks and didnt't look that great. Robert was a punctilious man who had also no problems with counting so he noticed the lack of a few things right after his first meeting with Ingen. Despite that he never scolded the children. He liked listening to Ingen's stories and decided that a few fruits is a small price to pay for a smile these days.

Hazel eyes followed the running siblings for a few seconds. Their mother is waiting for them around the corner. She will kiss each on the forehead and thank them for the food as always. All three of them will pass old Paul near the entrance to The Channels, the boy will hand him a piece of bread and the old man will look in his eyes silently saying 'thank you'. On the square next to the market priest Vit will give prayers to Metus asking for a night without any victims. Then he'll join the sisters in the temple and bolt the doors. Guards will take their places on the city wall ready for the attack. The rest will hide in their homes or in The Channels and the only movement on the Rothspark streets will be created by the flames of torches. All evenings were almost the same. You could get the impression that only conversation topics differed from each other.

"Fuck this! One night I'll go out and spit these hybrids in their faces. We should've fucking killed them when we still had a chance." Said an old, one-eyed man heading towards his cabin.

"You've been saying that for two years" A man in his 30 shot him an amused look.

"That's because two years ago he run out of his hooch supplies. Now that the alcohol's gone, all he's got left is grumbling. And he's better at it than a woman." Obviously annoyed woman caught up with her husband.

"The king could take care of us and share some rum. He probably swilled all of it when he found out his children died anyway." Murmured the older one.

"I highly doubt you would harm any half-elf with your grumbling. Your voice on the other hand would surely get attention of a few noctems. Maybe you can even persuade them into changing their diet. I would try today, if I were you. There was no attack for two weeks so it's highly possible they will show up soon."

"Oh, shut up, Leo! Go back to scribbling in that notebook of yours. If it wasn't for their beasts those damn crossbreeds wouldn't even dare to stick a finger over the wall." While the old man sped up in irritation, Leo seemed to be highly amused. He didn't hear a response to his 'goodnight' as they both entered their homes.

The voices were subsiding and the pair of hazel eyes noticed their target. A palm clenched richly decorated, silver dagger hilt. Lord Ferris was one of the last who hadn't hidden yet. As he was quickly heading towards the castle the figure wrapped in a gray mantle got out of its hideout. Nimbly and almost silently jumped down from the bell tower to the nearest roof. Before Lord Ferris has gotten to the square in the front of the castle someone grabbed his elbow and rapidly pressed him against the wall so he wasn't facing the attacker. In no time a dagger was at his throat.

"Do you know why you're here?" Whispered a voice in his ear. From this position he could only notice a big hood which made recognizing the face impossible. However, he saw a part of a bracer on the hand holding the weapon. It was gray, decorated in shape of leaves he didn't recognize. Half-elf.

"I don't k…" The dagger was pressed harder against his throat but not hard enough to break the skin. He understood the request. "I don't know" Ferris said in whisper this time. "I left you information about the next hunting in the same place as always. What else do you want from me? Please, don't kill me. I have a wife and kids. I'll get you information about the weapon delivery, the exact number of guards… anything. We have a deal, I beg you!" The man was nearly weeping.

"You seem to have a lot of information."

"I'm the guards administrator. It's my duty to…" Suddenly, a sound of clashing armor was heard above. One of the watchmen was probably nearing to the part of wall Lord Ferris was pushed against. The dagger was quickly gone along with the mysterious figure. Dripping with sweat, he turned around and run towards the castle. The last thing he heard before he disappeared in the entrance was a horrible screech followed by a more delicate scream.

The next day Lord Ferris was found dead.


End file.
